I was halfway through a BTec at Barnfield College in Luton, but I had enough Ucas points to qualify for a foundation year – so instead of doing the second year at Barnfield I took the plunge and applied for university. I live in Luton with my parents and the University of Bedfordshire is quite close, so I applied for a foundation degree there.

I originally wanted to do sports journalism – I’m a sports fanatic and Sky Sports News is my life! But I decided to pursue broadcast journalism to keep my options open, as it covered a wider range of media outlets.

For students with additional needs, universities are there to help

Read more

I got “promoted” within the first few weeks to the first-year undergraduate programme because my tutors thought I had potential, which was fantastic.

People at the University of Bedfordshire were really positive and I felt like they really understood my situation. They basically said to me: “If you have any worries or issues, you know where we are, and we will have time for you.”

I was evaluated so often going through school it felt like I was being constantly prodded and poked, so having that safety net was a breath of fresh air. Having that self-reliance means I am treated just like everyone else. I feel like I’m there as an individual, and not just someone with autism and ADHD.

I have social problems more than anything else, but having my diagnosis is like having a get-out-of-jail-free card for awkward situations! When it comes to studying, I need extra time in exams, because I sometimes struggle to interpret the questions. I also type faster than I write, so I got a word processor when I was at school. Unfortunately, that’s not covered by the Disability Students’ Allowance at university because it’s only offered for students with dyslexia.

Should anything go wrong in the next three years I know there is someone to turn to, and I know I can talk it over with them and they will have the time and the patience to go through it all with me.

I covered the US election in November and the UK election in June, and I present two student radio programmes. I have a football programme on Saturday afternoon, and a little Sunday show where I interview guests and play music, so it’s all going really well. The world is my oyster.